Card-display mechanism



J. GUMBER AND A. SCHNEIDER.

CARD DISPLAY MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23. 1921.

5 SHETS-SHEET Il J. GUMBER AND A. SGHNEiDER. CARD DISPLAY MECHANISM,

' APPLICATION FILED MAR-23,192l. 1,399,210. Patented Dec. 6, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I. GUMBER AND A. SCHNEIDER.

CARD DISPLAY MECHANISNI. APPLICATION FILED If1AR23l |921.

Patented Dec. 6, 1921.

s SHEETS-SHEET 3.

l 'd f4 m #l Ah'i l g 1/ Summe/c5 J. GUMBER AND A. SCHNEIDER.

CARD DISPLAY MECHANISM. APPucATxoN FILED MAR. 23, 192|.

1,399,210. Patented Dec. 6, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

J. GUMBER AND A. SCHNEIDER.

CARD DISPLAY MECHANISM, APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, I92I.

Patented Dec. 6,1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH GUMBER AND ANTHONY SCHNEIDER, OF EAST MOLINE, ILLINOIS.

CARD-DISPLAY MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 6, 1921.

Application mea March 2z, 1921. serial No. 454,621.

To @ZZ wlw/m t may concern Be it known that we, JOSEPH GUMBER and ANTHONY SCHNEIDER, citizens of the United States, residing at East Moline, in. the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Card-Display Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification, reference heilig had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to advertising display devices, and particularly to means whereby advertising placards or like matter may be shifted one by one into al display position, held in this display position for a certain length of time, and then removed and a new placard disposed in a display position.

The general object of this present invention is to provide a mechanism of this character which is relatively simple in its construct-ion, which may be relatively cheaply made, which is thoroughly effective for the purpose intended, and which takes but a small amount of electric current or power to operate the machine.

A further object is to provide a mechanism of this character in which a series of placards are supported one behind the other in front of a. glazed display opening, the mechanism having power operated means whereby the rearmost card of the series may be lowered to a` position below the series of cards, then positively shifted forward and raised so as to be inserted in front of the foremost card of the series, the insertion of a. card in front of the series causing the rearmost card of the series to be forced rearward and onto the carrier, which causes the card to be lowered as before stated.

And a further obj-ect in this connection is to provide power opera-ted means for positively causing the rearward movement of the lastcard of the series and its disposition on the carrier and positively preventing the next rearmost card from moving rearward onto the carrier Another object is to provide a. mechanism of this character in which vertical reciproeating carrier is used which in its upward movement carries a card upward for insertion into a display position and when it has arrived at its uppermost position receives a card from the r ar end of the series or stack of cards and lowers it to a concealed position ready for insertion as the front card of the series. Y

And another object is to provide positively acting' means yfor operating when a card is lowered t0 positively shift the card forward and tilt the card so that its upper edge may be inserted in front of the series of cards disposed behind the display opening so that as the carriers rise the card carried by the carrier will be shifted without fail into a display position.

Still another object is to provide a very simple motor operated means for securing the reciprocation of the carrier, the operation of the card Vshifter fingers and the operation of the escapement mechanism which controls the rearward movement of the cards and permits the last card of the series to be deposited upon the carrier.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein z* Figure l is a front elevation of our display mechanism with the case removed;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view looking toward one end wall of the mechanism;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view looking toward the other end wall of the mechanism and showing the cards in place and the carrier Vmoving downward;

Fig. 5 is a like View to Fig. 4, but showing the carrier moving upward and inserting a card;

Fig. 6 is a like view to Fig. 5, showing the position of the carrier at the time when the rearmost card is depositedl thereon and the card is about to move downward;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section on the line 7 7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a transverse section through the end wall ll showing the escapement mechanism in plan view;

Fig. 9 is a like view to F ig. 8 but showing the escapement mechanism shifted;

F ig. l() is a fragmentary elevation of the mangle rack, the shafts 37 and 44 being in section;

Fig. ll is a horizontal section of the machine, the casing being removed;

F l2 is a fragmentary elevation of the cam and allied parts for shifting the escapement; y

Fig. i3 is a fragmentary sectional per spective view of a portion of the carrier; its guide and the side wall;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary perspective view of one corner of a card and holder therefor.

Referring to these drawings, it will be seen that the embodiment-of the invention which we have illustrated includes a base which may be formed of a light casting and which is hollow as regards its interior, this base 10 supporting upwardly extending side walls 11 and 11a of suitable reinforced sheet metal. The base is also provided with lugs 12 whereby a housing 13 (Fig. 6) may be mounted upon the base to entirely inclose the side walls 11 and 11a and the mechanism disposed between these side walls and carried thereon. The front wall of this housing 13 is formed withan observation opening 14, through which the placards may be observed, this observation opening being covered by a sheet of glazed or other transparent material.

Mounted upon the side walls 11 and 11a and disposed below the lower margin of this display openingare the oppositely disposed racks supporting the cards A. These racks are illustrated as formed of short pieces of angle iron 15, the horizontal flanges of which directly support the cards A, these angle irons extending forward and rearward n approximately a horizontal plane. The cards A are supported upon these angle iron racks so that the forwardmost card of the series of cards may be seen through the display opening.` The mechanism which we will now describe provides `means whereby the rearmost card of the'series of cards A may, at regular intervals, be taken from the rear of the series of cards7 lowered into position `below the series of cards and below the racks, then shifted forward, and then lifted up and inserted between the front of the display opening and the series of cards, this card remaining displayed for a predetermined length of time.

To this end, we have provided the upper pair of pulleys 16 mounted upon the walls 11 and 11, a lower forward pair of pulleys 17 mounted at the lower ends of these walls, and certain driving wheels or drums 18 and 19, these driving wheels or drums being mounted upon a shaft 20 which extends longitudinally across the machine. The pulleys 17 may also be mounted upon a common shaft, as may also the pulleys 16, that is there will be a common shaft for the front pulleys and a second shaft for the rear pulleys 16. We do not wish to be limited to this, however, as stub shafts might be used.

Passing over the wheels 16 or pulleys and over the wheels or pulleys 17 are the flexible connections 21 which are preferably made of lengths of chain or cable. The ends of these flexible connections are wrapped to a certain extent around the drums 18 and 19 so that as these drums oscillate by the oscillation of the shaft 20, the cables 21 will be first shifted in one direction and then shifted in the other direction. In the length of each cable there is provided a coiled contractile spring 22 to take up shock and strain when the driving mechanism reverses, and also mounted upon these cables, that is upon the forward stretches thereof, is a carrier bar 23, the opposite ends of which are formed with forks 24.- to embrace the vertical guide fianges 25 onV the walls 11 and 11, this carrier being attached at its ends to the cables 21 and therefore moving therewith. This carrier bar 23 has connected to it the rearwardly projecting tines 26 which are resilient or resiliently connected to the carrier bar. As illustrated, these tines 26 are resilient and are upwardly and rearwardly curved. Collars 27 are mounted on shaft 23 and have rearwardly projecting lugs 28, to which the tines 26 are attached. We do not wish to be limited to this, for, as before remarked, it is sufiicient if the tines 26 are either resiliently supported or resilient of themselves.

As the cables 21 move in one direction,

the carrier bar 23 with its tines 26 is low-` ered to a predetermined extent and when the direction of motion of the cables is reversed the carrier bar is raised. When the carrier bar is raised, the tines 26 are disposed in a position approximately at the same level as the rear ends of the angle iron racks 15.

The mechanism whereby the shaft 2O is driven and reversed is as follows: Supported on the base of themachine in any suitable manner is a worm gear wheel 29 and engaging therewith is a worm shaft 30. This worm shaft carries upon it a pulley 31, which in turn is driven by a belt 32 from a pulley 33 carried by the shaft of the electric motor 34. The worm gear wheel 29 carries a shaft section 35 and this shaft section is flexibly connected by any suitable means to a shaft section 36, which in turn is flexibly connected by a flexible coupling to a shaft section 37 which carries upon its extremity a pinion 38. Mounted upon the drum 19 and preferably forming part of this drum is a mangle rack 39 having external gear teeth 40 and internal gear teeth 41, the rack 39 being interrupted at one point and the external teeth merging into the internal teeth. This gear 39 is formed between the external and internal teeth with an arcuate slot 4t2. The shaft section 37 is provided with a supporting arm 43 constituting a bearing for the shaft section, lthis supporting arm being provided with a stud 14- which engages within the slot 42. It will be obvious now that when a rotation is given to the shaft constituted by the sections 35, 36 and 37,'the gear wheel 39 will be caused to rotate in one diiso rection until the extremity of the gear is reached and that the rotation communicated to the pinion 3S will cause it to pass around the end teeth of the gear wheel, as for instance from the interior teeth 1 to the exterior teeth 40, and that the continued motion of the pinion 3S in one direction will then cause a movement of the gear 39 reversely to the movement communicated to the gear when the pinion was traveling upon the interior teeth The gear 39 will then move in this reverse direction until the stud 44 reaches the opposite end of the slot 42 and the pinion 38 will then travel around the end of the gear teeth from the exterior gear teeth to the interior gear teeth and the gear wheel 39 will be again reversed. Thus a constant rotation of the shaft formed by the sections 35, 36 and 37 will cause an intermittent reverse movement of the gear wheel 39, of the shaft 2O and of the winding drums 18 and 19. Thus while the motor and the shaft operated thereby rotate continuously in one direction, the drums will rotate intermittently in opposite directions and the carrier chain or like element 21 will be alternately shift-ed in opposite directions, alternately lowering and raising the carrier, (see Figs. 4, 5 and 6).

The means which we have just described provides for the raising and lowering of the cards, and the means whereby the rearmost card of the series of cards A supported upon the raclrs 15 is shifted rearward so as to rest upon the tines 26 is as follows: The walls 11 and 11a are slotted at 45, and disposed upon the exterior faces of these walls are rock shafts 46, these shafts being mounted in suitable hearings and each shaft having at one end an outwardly projecting arm 47. Each shaft carries upon it an escapement wheel or dislr 48 which, as illustrated in Fig. 7. is approximately a segment of a circle and formed to provide the ears 49 and which are deflected with relation to each other so that these ears do not lie in the same plane. l-Vhen the shaft 46 is rotated to bring the ear 49 behind the last card of the series of cards supported on the racks 15, the ear 50 will be out of engagement with the cards and in a plane in front of the rearmost Icard of the series. New when the shaft 46 mores in the opposite direction, the` ear 49 is withdrawn from behind the last car-d of the series. while the ear 50 is simultaneously inserted between the last card of the series and the next following card so that this ear 50 acts to positively shift the last card of the series rearward and olf of the racks 15. This action is also assisted by the provision of bowed springs 51 which press upon the margins of the cards disposed upon the racks 15 and urge these cards rearward. The escapement mechanism prevents the last card of the series from beingL shifted olf lof the racks 15 until the carrier has reached its uppermost position. At this time the shaft 46 is rocked to release the last named card of the series to hold the next rearmost card, and as the carrier descends the shaft 46 is again rocked in a reverse direction so as to insert the lug or ear 49 behind the then rearmost card and the lug 50 is withdrawn from behind this card ready for the next card delivery. This rocking of the shaft 46 is secured by means of cam actuated reciprocating rods 52 carried upon the opposite end walls 11 and 11.

The lower ends of these rods are mounted in guides 53 and the upper ends in supporting guides 54. The upper ends of the rods may be reduced, and compression Asprings 55 will be i disposed between the shoulder formed by the reduced portion of the rod and the guides 54, these springs urging the rods 52 downward. Each of these rods carries upon it a collar 56 having an outwardly projecting arm 56CL which is connected by a wrist pin 56b to the arm 47 of the corresponding shaft 46. Thus as the rods 52 are reciprocated, the shaft 46 will be rocked. The means for reciprocating the rods 52 comprise cams 57, mounted upon the outer extremities of the shaft 20, these cams 57 bearing against tappets 58 adjustably mounted upon the rods 52. As the shaft 20 is rotated, these cams 57 will lift the rods 52. thus oscillating the shafts 46 in one direction, and the cams 57 leave the tappets 58, the springs 55 will cause the descent of the rods 52 and the oscillation of shaft 46 in thc reverse direction. The escapement disks 48 are slidably mounted upon the shaft 46 so that they may be adjusted to accommodate a greater or a smaller number of cards, and the slots 45 are made relatively large for this purpose. l

Disposed rearward of the racks 15 and eX- tending upward and rearward from the rear ends of these racks are guides 59 which are angular' vin cross section and which are each preferably pivoted at one end, as at 60, and adjustably mounted at the Vother end, as atA 61, so that these guides may be shifted to accommodate a greater or less number of cards, These guides are downwardly and forwardly curved and engage the upper ends of the cards or sign holdersand guide these upper ends downward properly as the card or sign holder descends upon the tines of the carrier.

The. descending card rests at its lower edge upon the tines 26, and as the card descends the lower edge of the card would tend to slip downward and forward upon the tines so that the lower edge of the card would be properly positioned at the front ofv the machine but the upper edge of the card the carrier could not move into position inv front ont the series of cards A. lll/'e have, therefore, provided positive means whereby the card which has been lowered by the carrier 26 shall be shifted forward and brought flat against the chains 2l and held in this position until the upper edge of the card or of the card holder has been inserted between the first card of th series of cards A and the display opening' of the machine, 'llo this end, we have provided a rock shaft 62 having thereon a plurality of upwardly and rearwardly curved fingers 63. rlhis rock shalt is mounted in bearings in Vthe end members l1 and lla and carries an arm 6l, at one end supported by a collar 65. The shaft se :tion 87 `is supported in a sleeve 66, which in turn is carried by an arm 67 on a short stub shaift or pintle 68 so that the sleeve 66 with the shaft section B7 may he shifted. laterally to permit the movementot the gear wheel 38 from its engagement with the gear teeth 41 into engagement with the gear teeth 40, or vice versa, andV pivoted to` this arm 67 is a link 69, which in turn is pivoted to the arm G-t so that as the shaft 68 which carries the arm 67 oscillates, the arm 64; will be oscillated and the shaft 62 will be oscillated, thus oscillating the finger These movements are so timed that when the carrier has reached its uppermost position and the driving mechanism is about to reverse, then upon the reversal of thc driving mechanism the arm 67 will be drawn forward, shifting the upper enc s of the arms 63 rearward to a position ben cath the lower vertically extending ends of the guides 59. Thus as the, carrier lowers the rearmost card will rest upon the tines 26 and as the card is lowered the lower edee of the card will be guided forward upon the tines 26 by the downwardly and forwardly inclined or curved arms 63. Thus as the carrier is lowered, the lower edge of the card will be guided toward the front of the machine until, when the carrier is fully lowered,.the lower edge of the card will be adjacent t'o the forks 24. In this position of the parts another reversal of the driving mechanism is had by the pinion 3S coming to the end of its movement on the teeth l1 and the pinion will pass into `engagement with the teeth. 40, thus reversingl the movement oi the carrier, as before explained, and also oscillating the shaft 62 in a direction to carry the uijiper` ends of the arms 63 forward, thus tilting the card over against the flanges 25. Then the carrier begins to rise, the card being still held against the flanges 25 until this card is entered between the forward ends of the racks l5 and the flanges 25, The card then continues to move upard until it strikes the spring 5l and wedges itself between this spring and the series of cards. Then when the card has reached its highest position and is in its display position, the escapement disks i8 70 'operate to release the rearmost card, as be `fore explained, and permit.v its descent.

lt will be noted that the descent of the card is relatively slowibecause of the fact that the pinion 3S at this time is traveling 75 upon the outside of the mangle rack, but the ascent of the card is relatively more rapid, due to the fact that the pinion is traveling against the inner teeth lll. While we prefer to use chains `to form the elements 2l, we do 80 not wish to be limited to this, as small wire rabies might be used or any other flexible connections suitable for the 'purpose required. `We do not wish to be limited to the enact formation of the cam 57 or the exact 85 relation oit this cam 57 to the rod 52, as another form of cam might be used and the rod 52 might he directly engaged by the cam. The escapement mechanism might also be changed without altering the principle of the invention, as may also the particular manner oi' `driving the mechanism and the general arrangement of the parts.

It will be seen that with this device any number oiI advertising cards within the range of the machine may be intermittently exhibited and that the time period during whirh they are exhibited maybe readily A,l by varying the driving. speed of the hinc. While we do not wish to be limi to this, preferably each card. will be disosed within ametallic frame 71, but the e AJicular form of this frame forms no part r our present invention. The general operation of the mechanism is as `fellows: Assuming that there are a series of cards A resting upon 'the racks 15 and that the carrier is moving upward, thenwhen the carrier tines 26 reach a position below the rear ends of the racks 15, the pinion 238 has reached the end of the rack or gear teeth Ll() and while the pinion is moving around the endof the rack into engagement with the rack teeth 41, the parts are at a relative standstill. Just as the carrier reaches its uppermost position, however, the shaft 20 will carry the cams 57 into position to lift up on the rods 52, raising these rods, and through the arms 57 and 47, the shafts i6 are rocked, which will rock the escape` 120 ment disks 48. to release the rearmost card of the series and permit the card to be forced rearward oil the racks l5 onto the tines 26, the escapement acting at this time, as previously explained, to prevent the undue rearward movement of the remaining cards. The cara, when it slips oili of the racks l5, drops down onto the tines 26 and the upper edge of the card tilts rearward and rests against the guides 59. During this time the carrier is approximately at rest and then begins its descent, due to the pinion 38 having engaged with the teeth 40. As the carrier descends the card is carried down and the lower` edge of the card shifted forward by means of the fingers 63 and when the carrier his reached its lowest position the shaft 62 is rocked to cause the fingers 63 to tilt the upper edge of the card over and bring the card flat against the ianges 25. By this time the pinion 38 has reached the extremity of its stroke upon the stroke engagement teeth a0 and commences to roll around the end teeth into engagement with the teeth 41. At this time a new card is transferred to the carrier and moves downward, as before stated` is then shifted forward and raised into display position in the manner described.

It will be seen thatv the cards are positively moved under all circumstances. Each card is positively moved rearward and olf the ends ofthe rack. The cards are carried downward and positively moved by the fingers 63 toward the front of the machine and when the card has been fully depressed, the

upper portion of the card is positively moved over into position to be carried up into a display position. The cards do not move by gravity except that they follow the tines 26 downward by gravity as the carrier moves downward. All the other movements of the ard are positive. A very small electric motor is preferably used for operating the machine, requiring but little current, and it has been found in practice that the cards cannot and do not stick or fail to change at the proper time.

`We claim 1. A card display machine including means for supporting a series of cards one behind the other, a vertically reciprocable carrier disposed below the supporting means, means for shifting the rearmost card of the series from the supporting means onto the carrier when the latter is in a raised position, means for lowering the carrier and card and simultaneously shifting the card on the carrier into a positionV at the front of the carrier and in a plane intersecting the front end of the supporting means, and means for then raising the carrier to a position where the card is in line with the supporting means and then shifting the card rearward onto the supporting means.

2, A card display machine including means for supporting a series of cards one behind the other, a vertically reciprocable carrier having rearwardly and upwardly eX- tending supporting fingers, the carrier being disposed for movement in a plane intersecting the front of the supporting means but below the supporting means, escapement mechanism engaging therearmost' card of the series of cards and when actuated permitting the rearmost card to shift rearward but engaging the next rearmost card' to hold it from shifting'- rearward, means for automatically actuating said escapement mechanism when the carrier is in its raised position, and means operating as the carrier descends to automatically shift the card to the front of the carrier, whereby upon the next upward movement of the carrier the card will be inserted in front of the series of cards.

3. A card display mechanism including oppositely disposed racks for supporting aV series of cards one behind the other, escapement devices normally holding the .cards from rearward movement on the racks, means urging the cards rearward on the racks, a card carrier movable in a vertical plane intersecting the front ends of said supporting racks and having fingers extending rear wardV and upward below the racks, power operated means for shifting the carrier vertically in opposite directions, means for actuating said escapement means-when the carrier has vrisen to a position with its ngers just beneath the racks to thereby permit the rearmost card of the series to be deposited von the fingers, and means operating automatically when the carrier has descended to positively shift the vcard carried upon said lingers to the forward ends of the fingers and holding the card in a vertical position while the carrier rises.

4. A card display mechanism including oppositely disposed racks for supporting a series of cards one behind the other, escapement devices normally holding the cards from rearward movement on the racks, means urging the cards rearwardr on the racks, a card carrier movable in a vertical plane intersecting the front ends ofv said supporting racks and having fingers extending rearward and upward below the racks, power operated means for shifting the carrier vertically in opposite directions, means for actuating said escapement means when the carrier has risen to a position with its fingers just beneath the raclrs to thereby permit the rearmost card of the series to be deposited on the fingers, a series of upward-ly and rearwardly extending fingers oscillatably mounted for common movement on an anis disposed in the plane of the front of the carrier, means for causing the forward movement of the fingers when the carrier has descended to thereby bodily shift the card into a vertical plane coincident with the plane of movement of the carrier, and means for causing the fingers to oscillate rearward when the carrier has moved upward to its fullest extent. s

- 5. A card display mechanism including a frame having a'display opening, means for supporting a series advertising cards one behind the other behind the display opening, a vertically reciprocable carrier mounted for Vmovement in a vertical plane just behind Y disposing it with its lower edge upon said fingers, and means for gradually shifting the lower edge of the card forward along the carrier fingers as the carrier descends, and then tilting the card into a vertical plane approximately coincident with the plane of movement of the carrier when the carrier has reached its lowermost position. y

6. A card display mechanism including a frame having a display opening and having side walls, supporting racks mounted upon the sidewalls behind said display opening and supporting a series of cards one behind the other behind the display opening, a vertically reciprocable carrier having rearwardly and upwardly extending tines moving in a vertical plane coincident with the space between the display opening and the forward ends of the racks but below said racks, power operatedmeans for shifting the carrier toward and from the supporting racks, means operated 4by the power operated means when the carrier has reached its uppermost position releasing the rearmost card of the series of cards and disposing it with its lower edge upon the carrier tines, said means simultaneously preventing the next rearmost card from being discharged upon the carrier, a rock shaft disposed below the lowermost osition of the carrier and having a plurality of upwardly and rearwardly extending fingers, means for tilting the rock shaft to carry the fingers to an upwardly and rearwardly extending position intersecting-the path of movement of the tines on the carrier when the carrier is in its upward position, and means for rocking the rock shaft reversely to carry the fingers and card on the carrier to a vertical position when the carrier has reached its lowermost position.

Y 7 `A card display mechanism of the character described including a frame having a display opening adjacent its upper end and having side walls7 oppositely` disposed racks supported on the upper ends of the side walls at the lower end of said display opening and behind the same and adapted to support a series of cards one behind the other, springs urging the cards rearward on `the racks, escapement devices mounted upon the side walls and adapted when actuated to permit the rearward movement of the rearmost card but prevent .the other cards from moving rearward,l a vertically reciprocable j ward the path of movement of the carrier and when the carrier is raised to carry its vfingers rearward.

i 8. A card display mechanism of the character describedV including a frame having a display opening.l side walls having inwardly extending flanges7 a carrier bar having sliding engagement with said flanges and movable vertically thereon and having upwardly and rearwardly extending fingers, oppositely ldisposed racks carried by the side walls rearward of the display opening and adapted toV to support a series of cards thereon,'means urging said cards rearward on the racks, downwardly and forwardly extending card guides disposed'behind the racks, means for reciprocating the-carrier bar toward and from lthe racks, means acting when the carrier bar has reachedrits uppermost position releasing the rearmost .card of the series of ,cards and shiftingit rearward ofi' of said racks and onto saidtines, andA means acting automatically when the carrier bar has reached its lowermost positionshifting` the card into the plane of said carrier bar whereby the card will be moved into position in front of said display opening upon the next upward movement of the carrier bar.

`9."A card display mechanism including frame having a display opening and having side walls, racksmountedwupon said side walls and adapted to support a series of cards one behind the other vand behind the display opening, oppositely disposed flexible connections mounted for movement in opposite directions upon the frame and for movement in a plane behind the display opening7 a carrier mounted upon said iiexible connections for movement therewith and having rearwardly and upwardly extending fingers disposed below the racks, pulleys supporting said flexible connections, drums to which said flexible connections are attached and by which they are reciprocated, power operated means for rotating said drums alternately in reverseV directions, power operated means disposed adjacent the rear ends of the racks for intermittently holding the cards from rearward movement and releasing the last card of theser'ies, said means beiis CIK

ing shifted `to its released position when the kcarrier has been raised to a position with its tines beneath the racks to receive a card therefrom, a rock shaft mounted adjacent the front of the traine and below the lowermost position of the carrier and having upwardly and rearwardly extending fingers, means for rotating the rock sha-ft to tilt the lingers to an upwardly and rearwardly inclined position when the carrier has reached its uppermost position, means 'for tilting the rock shaft reversely to carry the lingers toward the carrier when the carrier has reached its lowermost position, and card guides disposed behind the racks and adapted to guide the cards onto the carrier tines.

l0. In a card display mechanism, oppositely disposed card supporting racks adapted to support a series of cards, one behind the other, means urging the cards rearward on the racks, means for carrying the card discharged from the end el' the racks into position in front ot the racks and inserting it in front ot the series ot cards thereon, means for permitting the escape oi the rearmost card from the racks but preventing the escape of the remaining cards comprising oppositely disposed escapement members having ears relatively deflected to dii'i'erent planes and engageable a ternately with the cards, a motor for actuating the card carrying means, and motor actuated means for actuating the esoapement members.

l1. In a card display mechanism, oppositely disposed card supporting racks adapted to support a series of cards one behind the other, means urging the cards rearward on the racks, means for carrying a card discharged from the rear end ot the racks into position in iront of the racks and inserting it in trontof the series of cards thereon, means for permittingthe escape of the rearmost card from the racks but preventing the escape of the remaining` cards comprising oppositely disposed escapement disks having ears relatively deliected in diiiierent planes and engageable alternately with the cards, a motor for actuating the card carrying means, and motor actuated means for intermittently oscillating said escapement disks.

l2, ln a card display mechanism, oppositely disposed card supporting racks adapted to support a series of cards one behind the other, means urging the cards rearwart wir n i. @my

on the racks, means for carrying a card discharged from the rear end of the racks into position in front or" the racks and inserting it in front of the series of cards thereon, means for permitting the escape of the rearmost card from the racks but preventing the escape of the remaining cards comprising oppositely disposed escapement disks eliected in diiierent lternately with the ating the card` carrymeans for inter- .a'd escapement disks i for each disk, 1 downward, a sha-ft mounted and operacorresponding rod and a motor driven g each rod.

Y mechanism, a snpend walls, inwardly end walls nonsti- S ,ally recigrocable carrojeeting tines troni the rear 01"' rack an carry said card downd and tb upward, means acting when the carrier i ered to shift the card thereon into a vertical position at the front of trie carrier to thereby cause the card to be inserted in "front or. the series ot cards on the racks upon the upward movement of the carrier, motor operated means for reciprocating the carrier and actuating said card shifting means, escapement means for releasing the lowermost card of the series of cards when the carrier is in a raised position but preventing the release of the remaining cards comprising oppositely disposed eseapement disks mounted upon the end walls and disposed opposite each other and in a plane parallel to the plane 01"' the 1', each of said disks having relatively t lugs having angular relation to each and adapted to be inserted behind and between lie cards alternately, a shaft upon which trie disks are mounted and carried upon said walls and each having an arm, a vertically reciprocable rod mounted upon each end wall and having an arm operatively engaging the arm on the shaft, a spring urging each rod downward, a cam Yfor each rod oper-ativelgrv e. o fing the lower end thereof, and a motor driven shaft upon which the cams are mounted, the cams being set to shift the rods te release card when the carrier is in its raised po l-l. in a card display mechanism, a supporting trame including end walls, inwardly proj ecting i'ia Lges on the end walls constituting` card supifj-orting racks and adapted to sup iort a series ot cards one behind the otner, means urging said cards rearward on the racks, a vertically reciprocable carrier having rearwardly projecting tines adapted to receive a card L iiom the rear end of the rack and said card downward and then upward, means acting when the carrier has lowered to shift the card thereon into a vertical 'position at the iront oit the carrier to thereby cause the card'to be inserted in front of the series of cards on the racks upon the upward movement of the carrier, motor operated means for reciprocating the carrier and actuatingsaid card shifting means, es-

capement means for releasing the rearmost card of the series of cards when the carrier is in a raised position but preventing the release of the remaining cards, said escapement means being adjustable toward or from the Jfront of the racks to thereby accommodate a greater or smaller number of cards.

l5. In a carddisplay mechanism a supporting frame including end walls, inwardly projecting flanges on the end walls constituting card supporting racks and adapted to support a series of cards one behind the other, means urging said cards rearward on the racks, a vertically reeiprocable carrier having rearwardly projecting tines adapted to receive a card from the rear end of the rack and carry said card downward and then upward, means acting when the carrier -toA thereby cause the card to be inserted in front of the series of cards on the racks upon the upward movement of the carrier,

motor operated means for reciprocating the carrier and actuating said card shifting means, escapement means for releasing the rearmost card of the series of cards when thevcarrer is in a raised position but preventing the release of the remaining cards, said escapement means being adjustable toward or from the front of the racks to thereby accommodate a greater or smaller number ot` cards, and card guides disposed behind the racks, said guides being adjustable toward or from the front of the racks to thereby accommodate a greater or smaller number of cards. Y Y

In testimony whereof we hereunto affix our signatures.

JOSEPH GUMBER.

ANTHONY SCHNEIDER. 

